The finalists in the Bruneau Family Children’s/Young Adult Literature Award are “The Wonderful Dogfish Racket” (Pennywell Books 2013) by Tom Dawe, illustrated by C. Anne MacLeod; “Jack and Mary in the Land of Thieves” (Running the Goat Books & Broadsides 2012) by Andy Jones, with illustrations by Darka Erdelji and “Free Flight” (FriesenPress, 2012) by William Pryse-Phillips, with illustrations by C. Anne MacLeod

The winners will be announced May 27 during a ceremony at Government House.

Reading of the children’s literature award will take place on May 24 at the Rocket Room in St. John’s at 1 p.m.

Readings by finalists of the fiction award will take place on Sunday, May 25 at the Ship Pub in St. John’s at 7:30pm.

Both of the readings are free and open to the public.

This is the 18th year for the awards and the patron is Lt.-Gov.. Frank Fagan.

The awards alternate between fiction and children’s/young adult literature in even years, and non-fiction and poetry in odd years.

The winner in each category receives a cash prize of $1,500, and runners-up each receive $500.

All finalists and winners are selected by an independent panel of judges.

The following are excerpts from the judges comments:

“Strays” by Ed Kavanagh: is a collection of 10 short stories … Kavanagh’s characters inhabit the marginal edges of Newfoundland communities past and present … Kavanagh’s prose is beautiful and lucid without calling undue attention to itself; he writes with a clarity that lets character and setting shine through the words.

“Caught” by Lisa Moore: opens with David Slaney’s prison break … (and a trek that) takes him across Canada and down the Pacific Coast to Columbia - always one step ahead of Patterson, the police detective determined to put Slaney back behind bars. … The narrative alternates between these two characters both of whom are good guys … We end up rooting for both of them. … Her writing is quick, clever and insightful. Her descriptions are spot on.

“Whirl Away” by Russell Wangersky: opens with a rusty bolt let loose from the bed of a pick-up truck, hurtling towards the driver’s head as the truck crashes nose-first into an embankment. An apt opening to a collection in which sharp and telling detail cracks open every story and illuminates its depths.

“The Wonderful Dogfish Racket” by Tom Dawe: A master poet, in “The Wonderful Dogfish Racket,” Tom Dawes’ lyrical, whimsical genius is in full display. … Although rooted in a historical event, the message of community self-empowerment is timeless and global. This book is a winning blend of history and poetic excellence and will be recited for generations to come.

“Jack and Mary in the Land of Thieves” by Andy Jones: The bardic, original voice of Andy Jones in another of his word perfect Jack tales gives us a world away from now, a world that celebrates Newfoundland’s sailing history, song and the art of storytelling itself. … In the Land of Thieves (is) a book that does what classics do — appeals to an audience of young and old alike.

“Free Flight” by William Pryse-Phillips: Charming, funny, whimsical, with a proverbial wink at parents and the raising of offspring. … Pryse–Phillips created an original, enchanting picture book where ultimately we are shown that freedom is as exciting as the safety of home is reassuring.